L.S. Hawker
I'm stealing my answer from an interview I gave on Nina Mansfield's blog (read her book! It's wonderful!):
Pay attention in psychology class. Study history and current events. Try to understand the motivations of people who do evil or desperate things. Read widely in your genre. This will help you internalize the structure and elements of what makes a good story.
If you're truly committed to getting published, then listen to industry experts. Go to conferences. Learn the craft—don't rely on your "talent." I can't tell you how many writers I've heard say things like "That (editor/agent/publisher) doesn't know what's good. My work is so unusual and brilliant that they're just too dumb to get it." NO, THEY'RE NOT. They're the ones who know what sells. Don't expect them to conform to your expectations and desires. You're the one who needs to adapt and change according to the industry. LISTEN TO THEM AND DO WHAT THEY SAY.
And most importantly, don't ever give up—no matter how discouraged you get, no matter how long it takes. I gathered more than 100 rejections before I got to yes!
I've had the same quote hanging over my desk since I was in college:
Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education alone will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. – Calvin Coolidge
Pay attention in psychology class. Study history and current events. Try to understand the motivations of people who do evil or desperate things. Read widely in your genre. This will help you internalize the structure and elements of what makes a good story.
If you're truly committed to getting published, then listen to industry experts. Go to conferences. Learn the craft—don't rely on your "talent." I can't tell you how many writers I've heard say things like "That (editor/agent/publisher) doesn't know what's good. My work is so unusual and brilliant that they're just too dumb to get it." NO, THEY'RE NOT. They're the ones who know what sells. Don't expect them to conform to your expectations and desires. You're the one who needs to adapt and change according to the industry. LISTEN TO THEM AND DO WHAT THEY SAY.
And most importantly, don't ever give up—no matter how discouraged you get, no matter how long it takes. I gathered more than 100 rejections before I got to yes!
I've had the same quote hanging over my desk since I was in college:
Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education alone will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. – Calvin Coolidge
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